His to Serve

Chapter One - The mistake

The moonlight shone through the trees as the wind softly rustled the autumn leaves scattering the floor. Birds swooped across the night sky as the forest stood eerily still.

With a crash I pushed through the bushes and past the trees, the birds screeching in response to the sudden disturbance.

My lungs were burning, and my legs ached as I ran, but I didn't stop. Branches snapped under my feet as I pushed myself faster and harder, the sound of soldiers coming ever so closer. I could hear the hooves of their horses and the clanging of their armour ringing throughout the forest. Sweat was running down my back as I continued to run away, dodging and weaving through the trees.

I tried to steady my breathing as I twisted and turned throughout the woods, pushing myself up I leapt over a dead tree in my path, my legs stumbling slightly as I landed back on the ground.

Slinging my bow over my back I forced myself onwards, never looking back.

First rule, you look back, you're dead.

Just keep running, no matter how far or how tired you got, and I wasn't going to get caught today. I wasn't going to give in.

I could still hear them behind me, growing ever so closer, yelling and screaming to catch me and I silently cursed myself at being so sloppy. I've killed too many to count, never faltering or failing. I was simply given a target, and I completed my mission. No questions, no mistakes. I couldn't afford mistakes with the types of people I was dealing with, but then again, I doubt anyone would risk pissing me off.

Why this one, why now? What was wrong with me?

My name was all over every kingdom, there wasn't a place in Ezerene that didn't fear me. The capital, North, East, South and West had their posters up. Great rewards were promised for the capture of the Silverback assassin.

But no one knew anything about me, and I was glad for that.

There was no face to put to the name and no doubt at ever being recognised. I was a ghost, a myth. A nightmare. I didn't get this wanted for no reason, that was for sure. I was reliable and this fuck-up had pissed me off.

I continued running, pushing through the bushes, the moonlight guiding my way as I felt the cool air brush my face poking out from above my mask. Pulling it higher up on my face I pushed on. My body was pulsating violently as I felt my legs begin to give in to the fatigue,

"Fuck Lillian, keep fucking going" I gasped as I grit my teeth and pushed through the thick foliage covering my path,

I gasped as I halted quickly, my feet skidding on the muddy ground as my body stopped, dangling dangerously close over the edge of a cliff as I looked down to see a steep drop into water below.

"Shit" I muttered; this wasn't how I was planning this to go.

I looked around as the noise grew louder and I realised I must have taken a wrong turn. I had no choice, I couldn't go back the way I came, but was I brave enough to take on whatever lurked in the deep waters below?

Everyone knew the waters around the Capital were loaded with creatures from horror stories. Mythical beats ranging from mermaids to deep sea creatures which could swallow you in one gulp roamed these parts. I turned around to see the bushes begin to move behind me as I made a split-second decision.

Fuck it.

Tucking my knives away against my thighs I jumped over the cliff, forming a perfect dive as I descended into the freezing water, my body almost bursting into shock at the sensation. I stayed under the water, swimming on and on, my lungs screaming at me as I began to see stars, but if they saw me in the water, I was dead. So, I pushed on.